01
Own the first waves
Secure your first waves cleanly and avoid trading so hard that you lose lane control. Your goal is to reach the first objective window with enough HP and a usable wave state.
MACRO FUNDAMENTALS
WIN THE MAP.
Learn what each position should be doing before, during and after fights. Pick a lane below and follow the sequence from early game to late-game decision making.
EXP LANE
EXP Lane macro
Control side pressure, manage waves, rotate on objective timing and arrive to teamfights from useful angles instead of walking through vision.
EXP Lane
02
Create side pressure
When you have wave advantage, push the enemy EXP laner into their turret. Pressure forces them to show and gives you the first move toward river, jungle entrances or a flank.
03
Move before the objective
Do not wait for Turtle/Lord to start before moving. Shove the lane first, then disappear from vision and approach from a side angle so the enemy must respect your flank.
04
Know when to split
If the enemy sends several heroes away from your side and no major objective is immediately contestable, punish with wave pressure and turret damage. Leave before you are trapped.
05
Flank, do not front-door
In mid and late game, EXP heroes usually create more value entering fights from fog or a side route than walking directly through the same choke as the tank.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Do this consistently
✓
Push before rotating whenever possible.
✓
Track which enemy can match your side lane.
✓
If your teleport/mobility spell is unavailable, respect long rotations.
✓
When ahead, force the enemy to answer your side pressure before grouping.
COMMON MISTAKES
Avoid these habits
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Leaving a stacked wave for a low-value fight.
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Walking into river first with no information.
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Overstaying after taking a side turret.
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Joining every fight instead of creating map pressure.
JUNGLE
Jungle macro
Control tempo. Farm efficiently, appear where lanes are vulnerable, secure neutral objectives and avoid spending too much time on low-percentage ganks.
Jungle
01
Plan the first clear
Choose a path that gets you level and buff timing efficiently while keeping the first objective and vulnerable lanes in mind. Do not wander between camps without a reason.
02
Gank only with a trigger
Good ganks have a reason: enemy is overextended, an ally has reliable setup, a key spell is down, or the kill converts into an objective. Otherwise keep your tempo.
03
Arrive early to objectives
A jungler arriving late gives up river space and Retri positioning. Finish the nearby camp early enough to set vision, control entrances and preserve key cooldowns.
04
Trade the map
If an objective is impossible to contest, immediately take something elsewhere: enemy camps, opposite turret pressure, a wave, or vision. Never lose an objective and gain nothing.
05
Protect the win condition
Late game is not about clearing every camp. Stay near the teammate or objective that decides the game, keep Retri safe, and avoid showing alone on the wrong side of the map.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Do this consistently
✓
Track enemy jungler from first information.
✓
Avoid forcing ganks before your camp cycle is ready.
✓
Save movement skills when approaching objective pits.
✓
Ping objective timing before teammates start random fights.
COMMON MISTAKES
Avoid these habits
×
Chasing kills while camps and objectives are up.
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Using Retri carelessly before a neutral objective.
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Showing on a side wave before Lord.
×
Invading without lane priority.
MID LANE
Mid Lane macro
Turn wave clear into map influence. Mid is the shortest lane, so every fast clear is an opportunity to create numbers somewhere else.
Mid Lane
01
Clear fast, then disappear
Your first responsibility is the mid wave. Once it is cleared, step out of enemy vision. Even if you do not commit to a side lane, your disappearance creates pressure.
02
Move with jungle or roam
Rotating alone through dark jungle is risky. Match your movement with your jungler or roamer so you can contest river, invade or collapse with numbers.
03
Cover the weak side
If a side lane is about to be dived or your teammate needs to recall, use your short rotation distance to stabilize that lane, then return before losing multiple mid waves.
04
Keep mid turret alive
Mid turret protects jungle entrances and shortens enemy rotations. Do not abandon it for every side skirmish. Sometimes clearing one more wave is the higher-value play.
05
Control fight space
In late fights, position where your damage or crowd control can cover the main entrance without exposing you first. Make enemies walk through your threat zone.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Do this consistently
✓
Clear before roaming.
✓
Move through the safer side of the map.
✓
Help your jungler secure river before forcing side plays.
✓
Use missing pings when the enemy mid disappears.
COMMON MISTAKES
Avoid these habits
×
Roaming while a full mid wave dies to turret.
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Following enemy mid through an unwarded route.
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Standing too far forward before objectives.
×
Using all wave-clear cooldowns just before a fight starts.
GOLD LANE
Gold Lane macro
Maximize safe gold intake, reach item spikes quickly and preserve your life. The gold laner becomes more valuable as the game goes longer.
Gold Lane
01
Prioritize clean farm
Take every safe minion and avoid unnecessary early trades that force you to recall. Missing a wave often costs more than winning a small health trade.
02
Respect the weak side
If your roam and jungle are on the opposite side, assume the enemy may pressure you. Give up a small amount of space rather than giving away a death and turret damage.
03
Push when help arrives
When your team rotates to you, convert the numbers advantage into something concrete: turret damage, a kill, jungle control or objective setup. Do not waste the timing.
04
Rotate after item spikes
Once your first core items are online, begin joining high-value objective fights more consistently. Before that, avoid sacrificing huge side waves for random skirmishes.
05
Late game: live first
In late game your death may end the game. Hit the nearest safe target, stay behind frontline and only step forward when enemy engage tools are accounted for.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Do this consistently
✓
Check minimap before stepping past river.
✓
Farm jungle only when it does not hurt your jungler or objective timing.
✓
Move mid after your outer turret falls if that lane is safer.
✓
Use item spikes as a signal to group more often.
COMMON MISTAKES
Avoid these habits
×
Trading aggressively with no map information.
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Walking first into bushes.
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Ignoring side waves after lane phase.
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Chasing low HP enemies past your frontline.
ROAM
Roam macro
Create information, protect tempo and decide where your team gets numbers. Roam macro is mostly about being early, unseen and useful before the fight begins.
Roam
01
Give information first
At the start, help your team understand enemy jungle direction, invades and missing heroes. Good information can prevent a bad fight before it happens.
02
Link mid and jungle
Your strongest early movement is often with mid and jungle. Move as a unit to contest river, invade, threaten a side lane or secure the first objective area.
03
Set up before objectives
Do not arrive after your carries. Enter first, control bushes and entrances, then create a safe path for your jungler and damage dealers to walk in.
04
Choose engage or peel
Ask who actually wins the fight for your team. If your marksman is the win condition, peeling may be better than diving. If the enemy backline is exposed, engage can be correct.
05
Control fog in late game
Late game roams should avoid showing on unnecessary waves. Stay near the next objective or carry, threaten bushes, and force the enemy to respect unseen engage angles.
QUICK CHECKLIST
Do this consistently
✓
Be early, not reactive.
✓
Do not take dangerous vision alone when your team cannot follow.
✓
Protect the strongest damage source when your comp needs peel.
✓
Use pings before you leave a lane or start an engage.
COMMON MISTAKES
Avoid these habits
×
Following one teammate everywhere with no map purpose.
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Face-checking five enemies alone.
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Engaging while carries are too far away.
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Showing on side lane before Lord or a major fight.